100 Themes Challenge: Angstshipping Edition
by millennium rod
Summary: In which I finally give in and do the 100 Themes Challenge from Deviantart. With Angstshipping.
1. Introduction

I can't believe I'm doing this. I've seen them around, and now I'm finally going for it. I'm doing the 100 themes challenge. I always swore I never would, but here you go. I am going to angstship the hell out of this thing. Most of this will be OOC, and it will mostly- if not always- take place in an AU setting. But if you read anything I write, you're probably used to that.

For almost everyone in Mrs. Smith's third grade class, when you went out for recess, it was the best time of your entire day. It was one of only two times (besides lunch, the other best part) that you could talk with your friends, run around, and generally do whatever you wanted.

Except for Ryou Bakura.

He didn't know why, but nobody ever wanted to play with him. Sometimes he would go up to the other boys playing kickball, but the only response he would get was, "Go away," followed by the cruel laughter that children often use when they bully someone. Ryou tended to get that a lot.

But that didn't stop him from trying. Every day, he would go up to a different person, asking them to play a game with them- they could pick which one. But they would shake their heads, Ryou would smile dejectedly, and sit in the corner for the remainder of the period. Sometimes he would make up his own games and stories, things that could be enjoyed without the help of another person. But even Ryou had to admit, it was sad.

Xxx

"Class, this is Marik Ishtar." Ryou looked up from his desk, suddenly paying much more attention to his teacher. If there was a new person in their class, maybe he would finally be able to make a friend! He was so excited, he could only hear snippets of the rest of Marik's introduction. Something about being from Egypt originally, and how everyone needed to be nice to him.

_Okay,_ Ryou thought, now completely determined. _At recess, I'm going to try to make a new friend. Watch out, Marik Ishtar!_

Xxx

_…I can't do it._ Despite how excited Ryou had been only about an hour ago, as soon as he saw the huge crowd surrounding the new boy, he lost all hopes of making friends with him.

_He's only going to become one of them. He's smiling and laughing with them; they're probably already best friends! _Ryou felt his face fall as he slowly and dejectedly retreated to his usual corner.

_I can still have fun without him,_ he thought, fighting back tears. _I can have fun without any of them. _He cleared a spot in the dirt in front of him, and absently started drawing. It was one of his favorite activities when he was down. His mother said that he was creative, and that that was one of his best qualities. Today, he decided, he would draw a face. Or rather, it was decided for him, by his mind. And before the rest of him picked up on it, he was well on his way to another drawing in the dirt. First a circle for the head, then some lines for the hair…

"Whatcha doing?" An energetic voice brought Ryou out of his trance, causing him to jump ever so slightly, drawing a jagged line through his artwork in the process. The boy standing over him laughed, but not in the way Ryou was used to. This seemed friendlier, much warmer than the cold, cruel laughter usually directed towards him.

"I-I'm drawing…" Ryou couldn't even look the boy in the eye; he was too terrified to find any hint of cruelty in them. Besides, even by the voice, he could tell who it was. "Why?"

Marik shrugged, staring down at what Ryou had been working on. "You looked a bit lonely, all by yourself. That's all. Hey, that's really good, though." Reluctantly, Ryou slowly moved his eyes up from the ground to meet the other boy's.

"…They sent you, didn't they?" he finally said softly. "They wanted you to act like you wanted to be friends with me, and then leave me alone all over again, didn't they?" Ryou didn't want to believe the words he was saying. But the truth of the matter was, that was exactly the way he had been treated in the past. And besides, he had looked so _happy_ with everyone else. What other business could he possibly have with someone as introverted as _Ryou?_

Marik looked a bit taken a back for a moment, then shook his head softly clearing a spot to sit down next to the other boy. "Like I said, you looked lonely. I don't think anyone likes being alone, do they?"

"I-I'm fine," Ryou muttered, although he was shaking as tears pricked at his eyes. "If you stay over here, you'll only get made fun of, too. You shouldn't have to go through that, it isn't worth it." Marik grinned in response.

"But at least I'll have you as a close friend, won't I?" He stuck out a tiny hand. "Marik Ishtar. We met in class. Now, what's your name?"

"…Ryou. Ryou Bakura."

"Ryou, huh? Well, we're going to be best friends from now on! If any bullies come and try to beat you up, I'll help you stand up to them!" Finally, after a heavy debate inside of himself, Ryou allowed himself to smile. He took the other boy's hand in his, and gave it a gentle shake before letting go again.

"Then… what do you want to do?" Ryou asked. "You can pick, if you want."

"Hmm…" Marik looked thoughtful for a moment, before snapping his fingers in realization. "I want to draw in the dirt with you! You can't just leave a perfectly good drawing like that, after all." He found another stick and started a drawing only a few inches away from Ryou's. They sat like that for the remainder of the recess, and by the time they were called in by their teacher to return to class, there was a simple drawing of two children, smiling and standing next to each other.

Two boys, who had only been introduced that day, yet were already close friends.

Xxx


	2. Love

Well, only the second theme out of a hundred, and I already have to change the rating to M. Fun fact, though- this is actually the first thing I've ever written (besides being vague about it) that had a lemon in it. A real, honest to god lemon. So yeah, hope this goes well.

Ryou hated math. With a burning passion, he hated seeing all those numbers in front of him, torturing him with their complexity. Even his friends the letters turned on him when it came time for algebra. Which was why, for the entire semester, he had… _put off _studying in the class, preferring instead to write extra credit essays for his English class. And now, the night before his math final, he was paying the price.

"I don't get it," Ryou mumbled. "Why can't there be a square root on the bottom of a fraction? Why would you have to go to the trouble of squaring the entire thing?" He sighed, putting his pencil down and letting out a big sigh. "I don't get it. I've been working on this for what must have been hours, and it still makes zero sense."

"Going that well, huh?" a voice interrupted Ryou's vocalized opinions, and although he jumped a bit, the interruption came as a relief.

"Hey, Marik," he said, his voice sounding completely exhausted. "Is there something you need?" The other man smirked, moving from the doorway to Ryou's room, to right behind where Ryou was sitting. Before giving Ryou another chance to speak, he wrapped his arms around the boy.

"You know, Ryou, if you want, you could always take a little… _break_ from studying." Still smirking, he nibbled at his lover's ear. Ryou's face flushed almost immediately, and he tried his hardest not to look up at Marik's face.

"N-not right now, Marik. I'm busy." He tried to reach for his pencil to begin his work again, but Marik managed to reach it a split second before him, grabbing it and holding it out of Ryou's reach. Ryou turned around and attempted to grab at it, but only succeeded in getting fistfuls of air.

"You can have it back in a little while. But right now, you need to take a break. You've been at it for hours." He leaned in, so close that Ryou could feel Marik's warm breath on his cheek. "I'm starting to feel lonely. Besides, I don't want my surprise to go to waste." Ryou's ears perked up at Marik's last word.

"…What did you do this time," he finally said. Marik didn't "surprise" Ryou very often, but when he did, he went all out.

Marik grinned, knowing that Ryou was finally beginning to give in. "Come with me, and I'll show you." Ryou sighed, but reluctantly gave up on his attempts for the pencil. He took Marik's hand and stood up; trying not to think about how _good_ it felt in his hand. When Marik started walking out of the room, Ryou knew he had no choice but to follow. And he did, until they reached the kitchen. When Ryou saw everything that had been set in front of him, he let out a small gasp. There must have been around a dozen plates sitting out on their table, each one containing a different type of food. There was spaghetti, vegetables, chicken… and of course, for dessert, a pile of Ryou's favorite cream puffs sat at the end of the table. There were also two candles set up, flickering in the semi-darkened room.

"Marik…" he whispered in complete awe. "You… did you do all this?" Marik grinned, partially with pride, and partially because Ryou himself was starting to.

"I figured that you've been working really hard lately. I thought you deserved a little break. And besides, I-" Marik was cut off by a tight hug from Ryou, who was so overwhelmed by everything that he was beginning to cry.

"This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," he said, his head buried deeply into Marik's chest. "Thank you so, so much." Marik blushed a bit, but continued smiling down at the boy in his arms.

"Well, we don't want all of this to go to waste," he finally said. "I spent a long time working on it. So come on, eat as much as you want- it'll make studying easier if you have something in your system." Ryou released his hold on Marik, nodded with the widest grin on his face that Marik had ever seen, and grabbed a fork and knife that had been set out on the counter. Just before he started to eat, however, he paused, looking back at his lover.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm fine. You can go ahead." Marik shook his head, but Ryou didn't even need to say anything for him to know that he disapproved.

"You cooked everything, you have to be hungry. Come on, even I can't eat all of this alone." Marik glanced at Ryou, then the food, then back at Ryou. The food _did _look delicious. And besides, he knew that if he refused again, he would only be guilted into eating by Ryou. So rather than fighting what would have been a losing battle, he went into the drawer with the silverware and grabbed a fork so that he could eat with Ryou.

Xxx

"That was…" Ryou yawned, leaning back in his chair. "That was amazing, Marik. I knew you could cook, but… wow."

Marik smiled. "So you liked it? Aren't you glad I got you to stop studying for a little while?" Even Ryou had to nod in agreement. He stood up with one big stretch, and took a step so he was next to Marik. He bent down so that they were at eye level, and kissed him softly.

"I love you, Marik," he said. "Thank you so much for doing this for me."

Marik couldn't help but smile back after the kiss ended, pulling Ryou closer to him. "Do you want to go back to studying now? Or is there something else you want to do tonight?" Ryou's face flushed again, as he knew what Marik was implying. But still, it had been a while since they had done anything- he had been extremely busy preparing for finals, and doing other homework. So he grinned.

"I guess my math final isn't for another couple of days. It can wait." Marik grinned, and grabbed Ryou's hand to lead him to the couch. Ryou lay down, with Marik following shortly after. They started to kiss almost immediately, Marik's tongue running itself lightly along Ryou's lips and teeth. Ryou moaned the slightest bit into Marik's mouth, only making the Egyptian want him even more. Ryou pulled at Marik's shirt, trying to continue their kiss and get the piece of clothing out of the way at the same time. He got it about halfway before they had to break apart for air anyways, and he pulled it the rest of the way. Marik also quickly pulled at Ryou's shirt to get it off as well, so he could start playing with one of his nipples, rubbing small circles around it. Ryou's eyes squeezed shut at the sudden sensation, and he let out another moan in pleasure. He ran his hands slowly over Marik's back, over the scars that covered it.

Just seeing the love of his life underneath him, Marik was starting to get a little bit hard. He could see that Ryou was getting ready, too, so he slowly trailed his fingers from Ryou's chest, down his pale stomach, and down to the button on his jeans. He tried to undo it quickly, so that he could get to his own, and they could continue as soon as possible. Ryou helped him a tiny bit by pulling off the pants and underwear and throwing them to the side, exposing himself completely to Marik. He always blushed at this part, although it did help when Marik threw away his own bottoms as well.

"God, you're beautiful, Ryou," Marik murmured, pulling himself closer to him to continue their deep kiss, steadily growing rougher. He moved his hand down again, slowly beginning to stroke Ryou's length. Ryou almost screamed at the pleasure he got from the sudden touch, and Marik had to move his hand as the boy involuntarily ground his hips against those of the other male. He was getting harder by the second, as was Marik, and they both knew that if they didn't go for it now, they would be too exhausted in a few moments to do it at all.

Still, Marik didn't know if it would be a good idea to go _all _the way with Ryou tonight. As much as he hated it, Ryou did still have his first day of finals in the morning. So instead, he lowered his mouth onto the other boy's cock, giving little kisses and nibbles to the tip before finally taking it into his mouth. Ryou bucked his hips again into Marik's mouth. There was warmth pooling up in his stomach, and he didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to hold on.

"M-Marik," he moaned, "I-I'm gonna…" Marik nodded. Even without actually having anything done to him- even though it had remained relatively innocent tonight- he felt as though he would need to release soon as well. Just having his sweet, perfect Ryou underneath him, his face contorted in pleasure, was enough to make him want to come.

It happened to Ryou first. He screamed, unable to take the pressure in his stomach anymore as he came, right as Marik pulled away. Marik lasted only a moment longer before coming all over Ryou's stomach with a loud moan. He collapsed so that his and Ryou's chests were touching each other, and they weakly wrapped their arms around each other, sleepiness overtaking them.

"I love you, Marik," Ryou breathed, right before his eyes slowly closed. Marik smiled weakly as he also gave into sleep.

"And I love you, Ryou."


	3. Light

There were so many things that Marik experienced now that he only could have dreamed of when he was ten years old. Every day, when he would take that first step outside, he would pause, letting the sunlight brush at his skin, breathing in the fresh, sweet-smelling air. On days when there was rain, he went still went outside, letting the cold droplets splash against him. Even though he would usually end up with a cold the next day- much to Ryou's displeasure- he would still do it, savoring the feeling of the outside world that, only a few short years earlier, was nothing but a figment of his imagination.

Sometimes, Marik wished he was able to stare directly at the sun, make up for all the time he had spent in darkness. But he was already able to do so much, have so many experiences, adventures beyond his wildest imagination. Even just simple things such as going to the grocery store were were things that reminded him of the past, the one he had escaped.

And of course, it helped that he had people with him. Rishid, the one who he could finally, unashamedly call "brother." Ishizu, the sister who had stood by him during his darkest hours, never giving up hope that they would, one day, become a real family.

And then there was Ryou.

The quiet boy he had taken advantage of, only months before, for his own selfish gain. The host of the first person he could even remotely call a "friend."

Their first meeting after the passing of the pharaoh hadn't been anything special. Marik and his family had traveled back to Domino for Ishizu's job. It wasn't long before Yugi and friends found out, and practically demanded that they have a small get together. Marik had noticed the boy standing slightly apart from the rest of the group, and couldn't get his mind off of the boy's resemblance to the spirit. The two of them ended up starting a conversation, spanning multiple topics.

Ryou spoke of the mistrust between him and his friends, and how despite the fact that they let him stay around them, he could tell that they still saw bits and pieces of what the ring had left behind in him.

"They're so used to being scared of me and having to avoid me, that they don't know what to do anymore," he said, laughing despite the entirely different story his eyes told. Marik could only agree with him. But still, he thought it seemed a bit odd. He could understand the way that Yugi and the rest of the group slightly distanced themselves from himself. He _had_ tried to murder them, both as himself and his psychotic alter ego, spawned not from magic, but his own hatred. But what had Ryou done? Despite barely knowing him, he felt sympathy for the boy, who tried so hard for friends and acceptance, yet was still an outcast for situations beyond his control.

When Marik voiced this opinion, however, Ryou shook his head violently, saying that he was sure they didn't do it out of spite. That they would definitely come to their senses eventually. Still, Marik was unsure. But he changed the topic, and they chatted well into the night.

"It's funny," Marik had said. "How someone like me can be considered a 'lighter half.'" Ryou asked him why, and he sighed.

"I'm more messed up than you could ever know, Ryou. I have blood staining my hands, and the nightmares that wake me up almost every night won't let me forget. But really, look at Yugi. The kid never did anything wrong in his life. And you, too. You were both just kids caught up in all this magical stuff that no one really understands. How do I fit into that group? All I ever wanted was revenge."

"You were only a kid too, though," Ryou said. "When your father did that horrible thing to you, you were still completely innocent, weren't you? Caught up in a situation that no one, let alone someone that age, should have to endure." Marik couldn't say anything more after that, and ended up switching the topic again. But after that particular conversation, there was a new sort of bond between the two. They talked more and more often after that, even calling each other after Marik was brought back to Egypt.

And now, here he was, two years later, in a place he never could have previously imagined. In the light, with another, different kind of light by his side, that shone even more brightly.

Xxx


	4. Dark

It was completely irrational.

I had spent my entire life living in the dark. So why was it that, when I was finally free to exist in the light, that the darkness suddenly became so much more terrifying than it had ever been? Over the years, when I had lived in the tomb, darkness had become something to grow accustomed to. And for the longest time, I thought I had. Which was why that night, after I had first visited the surface, it was so confusing as to why I felt this way. Claustrophobic, almost. Surrounded by monsters, with no visible way out.

It was even stranger when those nights continued, one after another. I rarely got any sleep at all; instead, I lay there, gripping my blanket as tightly as I could, eyes wide with fear. And finally, when my body couldn't take it anymore, I fell into a dark, dreamless sleep.

And that alone was enough to be a nightmare.

Xxx

I always loved the dark. It was so comforting to me, more so than the light ever could be. During the day, people could see me. It couldn't be the real me, no one could ever see that. But even when I wanted to run away and hide because I couldn't take it anymore, and I had to be alone to rip that fake smile off my face, someone would see me. They would follow after me; watch me silently as my world crumbled down.

But at night, I could be whoever I needed to be. No one was able to judge me if they couldn't see me. I could cry, on nights that I remembered my mother and sister, lost forever in a traffic accident. I could sob with anger, as I reminisced about the evil acts carried out using my body.

I could shiver, as I wondered how much time I had really lost to be myself.

At night, in the darkness all by myself, I could rest easily, knowing that even if it was only a few hours, I didn't have to hide behind a mask of happiness.

Xxx

Ryou was the one who first showed me how nice it was to be in the darkness.

When he took my shaking body into his room that first night, after meeting up at a party, I was so tense, so _scared_. It was so dark, all around me, and somehow, the roles we usually took were reversed. I was no longer the power-hungry, dominant man I had once been. I was a quivering mess in the dark; Ryou was the one to take that role.

_Which one is the real me?_

He took my body into his arms, and kissed me.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," he said, his voice deeper than I had ever heard it. "I'll show you how inviting the dark can be." Then, he gently pushed me down onto the bed, and we lost ourselves in each other. There was so much that first night; so much that despite my efforts to recreate it, I was never able to reach that same level of ecstasy. Ryou and I had something special, something that was hardly noticeable by day. Sure, we had moved in together by that point, and spent most of our time together. But it wasn't until nighttime, with all the lights in the house turned off, that our bond was strengthened. When our screams of pleasure joined together to cut through the silence, and our bodies moved to the same rhythm, fitting together like puzzle pieces, we felt alive, more so than either of us had in our entire lives.

Ryou had always loved the night. I was _addicted _to Ryou, my love, my drug. And so, the night became our stage. And despite my former fear, I would never have it any other way.

Xxx

Review? I need inspiration to keep this project going.


	5. Seeking Solace

It had been their routine for a while now.

Ryou had known he wouldn't be able to hide it forever, after all. The bruises that covered his entire body were as telling a sign as any that there was something going on in the Bakura household. And if you factored in his even-skinnier frame, the constant fearful look in his eyes, and his sudden obsession with getting home exactly on time, well, there was no doubt in Marik Ishtar's eyes that the smile he wore every day was completely fake.

Ryou had done a good job of hiding it for a long time, though. Bakura sliced his arms open with a knife? He wore long sleeves. Bakura tried to strangle him? That was when he pulled out a turtleneck. The near-constant bruises covering his pale, weary face were a little bit harder to take care of, but fortunately, Ryou had experience with using makeup. In fact, this continued for almost an entire year before Marik spent the night when Bakura was supposed to be out, only to have Bakura return early and beat Ryou yet again for seemingly no reason, besides a drunken rage. Marik had to be the one to force the two apart, and ever since, he had remained Ryou's only source of help.

Xxx

"You need to break up with him," Marik told Ryou one day, after a particularly disturbing phone call, in which Ryou described how it felt to have your hand forced over a hot stove for an extended amount of time. "You need to either kick him out, or get the hell out of there. I can't watch this anymore, Ryou. He's _killing you._"

"H-he won't kill me," Ryou said, his voice still shaking from the sobs that wracked his body. "He would die without me, Marik; he can't fend for himself in his condition. Leaving him would be cruel. Besides, I can handle it. I-I really am stronger than I look."

"Ryou, what he's doing to you is cruel!" Marik shouted into his end of the phone. "Look at yourself! You're skin and bones, and you have so many scars that even you can't count anymore! Who's to say that he won't go just a _little _too deep one day, and _forget _to call the hospital as you fucking _bleed _to death?" Marik knew he was taking things too far, and that his words were most likely only scaring Ryou further. But that was what he needed, in a way. Ryou was in a state, as far as Marik could tell, that had progressed to the point where death no longer seemed like a terrible thing.

And considering the Ryou that Marik used to know, the bright, cheery boy who always smiled genuinely and full of life, it only became that much more disturbing.

"Please, Ryou," Marik said wearily. "Break up with him and move out, Ryou. You can come live with me, if that's what it takes. But Ryou, you can't keep getting hurt like this anymore!"

"You think I don't want that?" Ryou's voice was still trembling, and his voice was becoming impossibly upset. "I don't want to live like this, Marik! I want to be able to feel safe in my own home, with the person I love! But it's not that easy. Bakura is only growing more controlling, and pretty soon, he probably _will _kill me. He might even make me stop calling you, and then what do I do? It would just be him and me, and I would end up pushing him over edge one day, and I _would_ end up dead." He paused, the silence between them causing tension that could be cut with a knife. "For all I know, it wouldn't be by his hands, either."

"Ryou-"

"You're all I have left, Marik!" Ryou cried out. "Without someone like you to talk to, what's the point of all this? I can only stay so strong, you know."

Marik opened his mouth several times, as though he knew what he wanted to say, but in the end, it all felt wrong. Yet, there was a set of words, three little words that could eradicate their problems completely. They were life changing words, and Marik knew that if he put them out into the open, they could never be brought back. But still, it was a logical solution, and desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Ryou, I can't just listen anymore. I'm going to call the police, and you are going to tell them everything when they get there. This is insane, Ryou. But I'll do it, because then maybe I can still save you." He took a deep breath. "I'll do it because… I love you. I love you so fucking much, Ryou, and I can't stand to see you get hurt any more. I know you still have feelings for Bakura. That's why you aren't leaving him. But please. I'll treat you better than he ever has."

"…Don't you dare call them, Marik." Ryou's voice shook, but otherwise, it was as cold as ice. "This always has been, and always will be, my own problem. I called you in the first place because I just wanted someone to talk to. To make me forget. I'm not as broken as you think I am, and I don't need fixing. So please, just let me do this by myself. And as for your 'love….' Well, you're just mistaking pity for love."

Marik was stunned. "Ryou, I promise, I'm not-"

"I don't need you to call me, anymore," he interrupted. "I-I'll be fine without you, after all. I don't need someone who only feeds me useless lies and false hopes. Goodbye." And before Marik could plead for him to come back, tell him that he was absolutely sure that yes, he was in love with Ryou Bakura, the other end was slammed shut, never to be opened again.

Marik sank to the floor, his eyes wide. _This isn't how it was supposed to end… I was supposed to help him. I was supposed to be the one he could talk to, the one who would ultimately save him, before we lived happily ever after._

_ Too bad fairytales can't possibly happen, can they?_

Xxx

"…There." Ryou set the phone down, his entire body trembling. "A-are you happy now, Bakura? I sent him away, j-just like you asked." The man in front of him smirked and set a hand on Ryou's frail shoulder, causing him to flinch away instinctively.

"Looks like the little bitch can follow orders after all," he said, his tone of voice completely condescending. "So how about this. Go make me some dinner or something." Ryou nodded, his entire body numb as he headed to the kitchen, slammed the door shut, and sank to his knees and sobbed. The only thing he had left had been his conversations with Marik. And now, the monster had taken even this small solace away from him.

It took a long time for Ryou to regain any composure. But when he did, he rose to his feet, stumbled toward the drawer that held the knives. And for the first time in a long time, he was smiling.

_Marik… thank you. You gave me the strength to do this. Now, just wait a little longer, and I'll come for you. We can finally have the fairytale ending that you wanted._

Xxx

I don't really know how well this fit the theme, in all honesty. But I do still like how it came out. I might even expand on it a bit; maybe write a separate sequel, if anyone wants me to. If so, tell me in a review. If not, you're… also allowed to review? *Is really desperate for reviews whoops*


	6. Break Away

I was looking at the next two themes on the list, and I figured- this would make a good twoshot! So the next chapter will be a sequel of sorts to this one. In a way. They'll stand alone pretty well anyways, is my guess.

I had been here for a long time now, waiting in a place that could not be classified as life or death. I was there, in that very room with you, Marik. Even if you couldn't see me, I was watching as you clung to my limp hand, apologizing over and over as you sobbed into the blanket that covered my physical body. It devastated me, seeing you in such a state. It made me wonder- what had happened to the man who had once seemed so strong? The one who had been willing to take on the pharaoh? Had it been me? Had I been the one to weaken you to this point? These were the unanswered questions hanging silently, in a room filled by the sobs of a broken man.

At first, when I had arrived in this world, I had tried to contact you. I begged, pleaded for you to notice me. I wanted you to know that I was okay, that my soul was still intact. But whenever I talked to you, it fell on deaf ears, and whenever I tried to embrace you, it sent a shiver down your spine. I was so helpless, almost as much as you. As you sat in the plastic chair of what was now my temporary "room," holding my hand, I was right next to you. We both had a wish that night.

Unfortunately, it was extremely unlikely that either would come true anytime soon.

That's right, Marik. I was there when the doctors told you the extent of the damage on my body, caused by one carelessly placed patch of ice as I was driving. When they told you that it was extremely likely that I wouldn't last through the night, that it was a miracle I was still here at all, I saw that devastated look on your face, as though your whole world had come crashing down around you. And at that moment, I knew that you were in a much worse place than I was. I know, you were worried that I was in pain, but I assure you, there was nothing. The only thing that hurt in that place was the unspoken knowledge between us: I was not going to make it out alive, and that _devastated_ you.

So now here you were. You sat in that chair, unmoving as you whispered unintelligible things to me between your sobs. All I wanted in that moment was to return to that lifeless body next to you. I knew there would be pain. I knew how broken my body had become. But it was still all I wanted, because I knew it was the only thing that would make you smile again. Yet, I knew that no matter how hard I tried, there was absolutely nothing I could do.

"Ryou," you whispered, making me jump a bit (well, as much as a spirit can). I don't know how long it had been before you said this. Minutes? Hours? Time really did not pass here. But your crying had ceased ever so slightly, so that you could get the words out that you needed.

"Can you… hear me?" Yes, Marik. I was hanging on to every word you said. "Because, I want you to know… if it gets too hard to hang on, you can break away."

These words shocked me. But you continued talking to my lifeless shell of a body nonetheless, as though it was the part listening. But despite the strangeness of what you said, I still clung to every word of it, as though each one could be your last.

"I-I know. It has to be hard right now. But I hope you know… even if you leave me behind, e-even if I end up all alone because of this, I… I won't hate you. You will always be the one I love."

Even if you couldn't see it, I was silently crying next to you. This was the last thing I had ever expected to hear, and I don't think you will ever know how much it affected me. But the truth was, there was very little I could have done at that point. I could feel myself fading, a little bit every second. So I whispered, "I love you, Marik. Good bye." And I kissed you, one last time. Even if you couldn't feel it, I promise, it was one of the best kisses we have ever had.

Your eyes were the last thing I saw before I gave myself over to the light, breaking away to the place where I am now. I haven't seen you since then- and in a way, I think it's better for both of us that way. Your current condition isn't one that I could even imagine, from what I can guess. And while I know that you are probably still worried, and that you will never receive this message, I want you to know that I'm doing just fine. I know that you are going to meet up with me someday, and I can't wait for that day to come. But in the meantime, I will continue to write these letters to you, in the hopes that I can hand them to you personally in the future.

Yours always,

Ryou Bakura.

Xxx

So, good? Bad? I never really know anymore, considering only one person has been consistently reviewing. (Thanks for that by the way, Yami-the-dark!) But either way, I hope you enjoyed, and like I said at the beginning, the next chapter will be a sort of sequel.


	7. Heaven

To me, heaven had always seemed to be an interesting idea. According to what I had been told since childhood, it meant being sent after death to a world where everything was just the way you wanted it- nothing could hurt you, you could be surrounded by lost loved ones, and you would never have to cry again. It was everything you had enjoyed about life, and more that could hardly be imagined.

From the time that I received the millennium ring- no, possibly even earlier, when I lost most of my family- I had vivid dreams of a place I would eventually go, where I could be with them, a genuine smile on my face for the first time in ages. Yet, it wasn't until I realized as a teenager how alone I truly was in the world, with only a sadistic Egyptian thief king to guide me, to mold me into his image. I pretended to be strong, both for others and myself, and for a while, I really did believe it. I truly wanted to stay alive, to last long enough to return to a semi-normal life. But it's only possible to fool your own mind for so long, and as soon as the spirit and the ring disappeared, I realized that I was, once again, completely alone in the world. That was when I started to think about the same thing that kept me sane as a child- a place where I could be happy again, and surrounded by the people I loved.

Only this time, I dreamt not only of getting there, but how I would be getting there. Or, more specifically, how _soon._ I don't know how many times I fantasized about throwing myself off a building, putting a gun to my head… anything, as long as it would send me to a place where I could be happy again.

That was when you came back to Domino City.

That day had not been a good one for me, to say the least. Not because of anything specific that had happened, but because of what I had been planning for later that night. I had everything ready to go back at my apartment- one of Bakura's old daggers sat on the table, along with a pre-written note, in case anyone decided they cared enough to notice my absence.

Our first meeting was essentially a coincidence- we were in the same coffee shop at the same time, that's all. But you were the one to notice me. As I waited in line to order some tea (I always preferred it to coffee, anyways, and I wanted to enjoy it while I could), you entered the store. At first I didn't look back, because I assumed it was only a stranger. But after a few moments, I realized that someone was staring at me, which brought me to turn around. Sure enough, there you were. Your eyes were wide with shock, and you stood in the doorway, completely motionless.

"…Bakura." That was what you finally whispered after several beats of silence. Then, you took a step towards me, your face a confused mess of emotions.

At first, the entire thing struck me as incredibly odd. After all, I had only had a few short encounters with you in the past, as most of "my" time spent with you was through the spirit of the ring. Your face was only a vague memory to me.

Still, I put on a smile, and stepped closer and closer to you, until we faced each other. "Marik, right? It's… um, it's been a while." You nodded faintly, staring down at the floor and saying nothing. "So, what brings you here?"

"My sister had work," you said, after a split-second pause. "I wanted to come and see how everyone was doing." Finally, you glanced up at me, smiling. "You're the first one I've seen, actually- I haven't told anyone I was in town yet."

I returned your warm smile. "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you."

"Yeah." You gestured toward one of the few empty booths. "We can sit down, if you want." I didn't have my tea yet, but I decided to let it go, and followed him.

After that, there was the first of many awkward silences between us. I stared out the windows of the doors, while you preferred to avert your gaze toward the floor. I felt my face burn, and I shifted my body, wanting to be anywhere but here. _Maybe if I made a run for it now, I could make it_ _home,_ I remember thinking. _Maybe even get a head start on my plans._ But something, somewhere inside of me, forced me to stay glued to my spot, waiting for the right words to surface.

"So, Bakura, I almost forgot to ask you," you finally said, making me jump just the slightest bit out of my thoughts. "How have you been doing lately?" I was about to say something, but I paused. I barely knew you at the time, and while I'm sure you only asked me that as a formality, I was terrified, completely unsure of how to answer. Mainly because I knew that answering with a simple "fine" or "good" would only be a lie.

Yet, what else could I say? The last thing I wanted was to burden you with all my problems, yet they were the driving force for the majority of my emotions as of late.

So, I realized, I was faced with a choice. I could lie, and both of us would take the easy way out.

Or, I could do what I ended up doing, and let everything I had bottled up inside over most of my life pour out of my mouth. I told you about my mother and my sister, and how much I missed them. I rambled on about how my father was never around. I almost broke down crying telling you about how hard it had been, adjusting to not needing to share a body with a psychopath. Every single minute detail that had caused my life to go wrong, was in that rant.

I wouldn't have blamed you if you had left. Made up some silly excuse about needing to go help your sister, anything to get away from the crazy man in front of you sharing his life story. But, against all odds, you didn't. You listened to every word I had to say, quietly nodding the entire time. I must have talked for half an hour, and you never said a word. I have to admit, though, I was surprised- you hadn't seemed like the type to be a good listener.

After I successfully calmed myself down, we continued talking, mostly about little things. It got to be 8:00 and dark outside, but neither of us really noticed. By the time we did, in fact, it was late enough that we didn't want to walk alone. Domino could be a scary place at night, and taking your chances by staying out late was extremely risky. Which was one of the reasons that I asked if you wanted to spend the night. It was the only reason I could think of at the time, but looking back on it, I think there were a few more. After hours of speaking to you, I felt closer to you than I had to anyone since my family was still around. When you listened to my story, you made me feel less lonely, right when I needed it the most.

Because, the closer I felt to you, the more I realized: _I didn't really want to die._

In fact, by the time we left that little coffee shop, I had nearly forgotten about my plans. We walked back to my apartment together, and I made it there without thinking of it once.

But, all moments of blissfulness have to come to an end.

As soon as I stepped in the door, I came to a dead stop. From where I was standing, I saw them- the knife that I had planned to use, and the note I had written, sitting patiently on the kitchen table. My mouth felt dry, because I realized that you were probably going to see it. The one thing I had deliberately hidden from you during our conversation was lying directly in front of you.

"I-I think I'll go make us some tea," I stammered, my face burning with what I assumed to be shame. I was on the verge of tears, really, as I remembered what I had been planning to do. But the only thing I could do was remain silent as I grabbed the knife, folded up the note, and shoved them in a drawer, to be forgotten until over two years later, when I finally brought up the courage to tell you about them. Only then did I actually make the tea I had promised you, and sat down with you in the small living room, where you fell asleep on the couch shortly after sipping a bit at your tea. I headed to bed myself, and only then did I let myself break down at the fact that I was _alive. _And it was going to be that way for at least another day.

Xxx

Except, it was far more than a day. We continued to visit each other every day, and even when you returned to Egypt, we kept in touch, although you moved back to Domino permanently around a year later to stay with me. We were inseparable, as though we were a real family for each other. Which, considering my circumstances, meant more to me than you will ever know.

I know that most of this letter is nothing new to you- or at least, it isn't if your memories are as clear as mine. But right now, as I watch you breaking apart over my recent passing, I want to try and help you focus on better times. Even though you will never receive this letter in your lifetime, I like to think that it will get through to you somehow. But, if it does get through, there are some things I want you to know.

First of all, I hate seeing you like this. I hate even more that it's all my fault. I don't want to tell you to move on, because a selfish part of me doesn't want that, either- I really, really don't want you to simply forget about me, like I'm sure everyone else has. But please. Don't keep blaming yourself, when nothing could have been done in the first place. You can't continue on the way you have been, Marik. It really is killing you. And while I want to see you here, I don't want it to be for a long time. I want you to live out the life I couldn't, and smile as you do it.

I'm sorry that this letter is so long. It's ridiculous, how much time I'm spending on a letter that won't be received for years to come. So, I think I'll let you go, after I tell you one last thing.

Marik Ishtar, you mean the world to me. Not even death was enough to change that. You managed to save me in one single day, a day when everything seemed completely hopeless. And I owe you my life for that. So, please, take on the life that I was forced to leave behind, and consider it repayment. You don't need to suffer anymore.

Love for eternity,

Ryou Bakura

Xxx

Slowly, I awoke to a hazy world, wrapped in my blanket as my eyes fluttered open. Right away, I noticed something on my face. I slowly brought a finger and brushed it against my cheek, from which it came back slightly wet. I was… crying? This early in the morning? For a moment, I wondered what the cause for that could have been. But slowly, it came back to me. The latest in a series of dreams, all of which starred the voice of someone no longer living.

I reached straight away for the small notebook I kept near my bed, especially for mornings like these. And, reaching into the deepest corners of my mind, I recalled everything that he had told me the previous night, scribbling it down as I went along.

Before his death, it had never really occurred to me to write down my dreams. They were rarely anything other than nightmares, and those were hardly worthy of remembrance. But now that I heard his voice some nights as I slept, as though he was trying to tell me something, I _wanted _to remember. It was the only thing I had left that I could do for him.

_… Marik Ishtar, you mean the world to me. Not even death was enough to change that. You managed to save me in one single day, a day when everything seemed completely hopeless. And I owe you my life for that. So, please, take on the life that I was forced to leave behind, and consider it repayment. You don't need to suffer anymore. _

_ Love for eternity,_

_ Ryou Bakura_

I knew, as I wrote those final words, that there was nothing left to remember. I silently flipped to the next page of my notebook, where I began to write feverishly.

_To Ryou,_

_ I got your last message. I don't know if mine go through, but I swear, I hear you, almost every night. Somehow, it's enough to keep me going without you. I hope you know that from now on, I'm going to try and do my best to grant your wish. I'll make sure that I'll try, like you had to so many years ago._

_ But when the day comes that I do come to join you, wherever you are, I hope you grant my wish as well- I want you to find me, so we can talk face to face. Just like that day in the coffee shop. Yes, I did remember, by the way. I don't easily forget the things that are important to me._

_ I hope to hear from you again soon._

_ Love,_

_ Marik Ishtar_

Xxx

This really is the story that never ends. Seriously, it took me a couple weeks to actually write this thing. Mostly because I couldn't seem to find a satisfying stopping point. But I do rather like the place I decided on. I feel like it could be interpreted multiple ways, which makes it a bit more interesting, in my opinion. I'll let you figure out how you interpret it, and I would love to hear it in a review or a message. So see you all next time- hopefully this time in less than almost three months…


	8. Innocence

It was nothing, really.

It was Just a first crush.

An innocent first crush, nothing out of the ordinary.

Isn't it natural?

To always, always want to be with them, no matter what?

So, why is it?

Why is it that they want to keep us apart?

I did everything right.

I was there for you, when you needed me and more.

I loved every part of you, even the parts I so desperately wished to change.

I wonder where, in doing everything for you, I went wrong?

I can't even see you anymore.

I'm all alone, in this cold, dark place.

I need you more than ever right now.

I need to see the sunlight of your face, feel the warmth of your innocence.

They told me that I did so much wrong.

That because of me, your life had been devastated.

They said that you never even smiled anymore.

I think they're liars.

After all, it was nothing but a first crush.

It was completely innocent.

Xxx

Sorry this was so short- more of a drabble than anything. But this was what came to mind, so this is what I wrote. Hopefully the next one will be longer?


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